An energy audit sounds good. What's your average electric bill in the fall and spring? If AC/furnace is the primary cause of a higher electric bill, insulation may be the most cost-effective approach to reduce bills.

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:
78 would not fly with my wife in her late 50s. Hot flash-wise. To tell you the truth I have to layer up because she sets it on 70, and sometimes lower.

Part of the problem 'may' be that you're allowing your wifes physiology to regulate the thermostat. A setting of 70 degrees (and sometimes lower!) will DEFINITELY have an impact on your electric bill...But what happens when she's cold a half hour later?

quote:

Originally posted by SR:
flesheatingvirus, what did it cost to add the solar panels? We're thinking about adding them but the costs here are pretty high.

It was around 25k for my system. Not cheap, but we are playing the long game. We put it in a few years ago right before the federal incentives started to decrease. I believe that those paid for around 1/3 of the cost. So far this year, we’ve generated 6.35MWh. Since the install, 32.4MWh.

Then again, NM is a pretty good state for sun!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: flesheatingvirus,

Our doublewide mobile home is about 2000 sq feet, and our highest electric bill in the summer is usually around $150-175 and we keep the thermostat at around 72-73 degrees. The coldest months in winter are only slightly higher than that with the heat on 68 or so. I'm pretty content with what we pay.

Electric rates are going way up. Your historic bill amounts will be irrelevant. If you rates having dramatically increased, they will soon. Last year, NH okayed a 102% rate increase. New Yorkers are about to get bent over on their power too. The Green New Deal will fuck us all (unless you are on the government tit).

Solar panels on my pole barn (metal roof). 11kw system. No battery back up. Installed 15+ years ago. Paid for themselves in the 7-8 year payback estimate. About 50% paid for by state and federal rebates back when we had it done.
Cuts our electric cost by about 75%. Spring, Summer and Fall our monthly bill is $10. House is about 2300 sq.ft., ranch style. Located in Pennsylvania. Excess energy goes back to the grid and we get compensated quarterly for it.
System is zero maintenance for me. It is also WiFi connected so we can watch production in real time, weekly production, monthly, annually, etc.
Have had twice where power surges via lightening did some damage to the system. System shut itself down, stayed down until we had serviceman come and fix it. Insurance paid for it. Have not yet made the effort to go with high efficiency bulbs throughout the house. That and some remedial work on insulation should help our overall efficiency.
To those thinking of a new home, are planning long term and have the space - it would seem to be a no brainer.

I recently changed my at-home attire to a t-shirt and board shorts.

No jeans, Riggs workwear trousers, or heavy shirts.

It allows me to not run the A/C as much. Coupled with cooler weather this summer and I'm seeing electric bills sub-$150.

I live in a 1100 sq. foot house and just paid my electric bill for August this morning. The total bill was 72.23. Note, I'm old enough that I grew up in home that didn't have air conditioning. Never bothered complaining about it to my Dad, he grew up in Cincinnati in a house without air conditioning and had a summer job of installing insulation in attics. Point is, you get acclimated and the heat really doesn't bother you. As for myself, I keep the thermostat set at 80 degrees in the summer.

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:
And, I just opened up my very first 300-dollar electric bill. For just a one-month cycle. Yes, last month's bill was paid in full. This shits getting out of hand.

Don't worry goose5! With the Bighorn Solar project opening prices we're sure to see lower prices soon!

Honey, did you leave the welder on again?

You should go back and make a log, or spread sheet, of each months Killowatt/Hour number.
.

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Originally posted by OKCGene:
You should go back and make a log, or spread sheet, of each months Killowatt/Hour number.
.

If you have an online account with your electric company, they might have already done that for you. Both of the electric companies I've used over the past couple decades have had sections accessible within your online account where you can view monthly usage going back several years. You can even download it as an Excel spreadsheet.

For example:

Ours was close to that as well. Our house is a 1700sq-ft, 120 year-old farm house that has seen a few updates and additions over the years. We installed a new "high efficiency" furnace and A/C unit when we bought it in 2006. Back then I could run the A/C full blast all month for about $110. Over the years that gradually crept up to $150-$200. August this year was over $300, with similar utilization to the same month last year. The only thing I can reasonably blame is the current administration and their idiotic energy prices that are driving up costs across the board.

I suspect three things are at work. 1. My AC and furnace are 25 years old. 2. Natural rate increases. 3. Unnatural rate increases. Such as the very large solar fields my supplier is putting up. Someone has to pay for that stupid shit.